System and method for object shipping automation

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for automating shipping for a physical object can include an object dimensions measurer (ODM) operable to collect and wirelessly transmit a dimensions dataset for the physical object, an object weight measurer (OWM) operable to collect and wirelessly transmit a weight dataset for the physical object, and a shipping automation system operable to receive datasets from the ODM and the OWM, implement a compatibility rule facilitating standardization of requirements for service levels provided by shipping carriers, determine object characteristics for the physical object, determine object characteristic specifications required by the service levels, and determine a service level for the physical object based on the object characteristics and the object characteristic specifications.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for automating shipping of a first physical object including a label printer system and a shipping automation system, the method comprising:
 at the shipping automation system:
 receiving a first object characteristic dataset from an object characteristic measurer (OCM), wherein the first object characteristic dataset is associated with the first physical object; 
 querying a plurality of shipping carriers for object characteristic requirements corresponding to service levels provided by the plurality of shipping carriers, wherein querying the plurality of shipping carriers comprises:
 generating a set of data requests for the object characteristic requirements for the service levels provided by the plurality of shipping carriers; 
 transforming the set of data requests into shipping carrier-specific requests based on a set of API request format rules tailored to API-associated platforms of the plurality of shipping carriers; and 
 transmitting the shipping carrier-specific requests to the API-associated platforms; 
 
 generating a first comparison between the first object characteristic dataset and the object characteristic requirements; and 
 selecting a service level from the service levels based on the first comparison; 
 
 automatically generating a shipping label based on the service level; and 
 printing the shipping label with the label printer system. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service level comprises an unmanned vehicle delivery service from a set of unmanned vehicle delivery services provided by the plurality of shipping carriers. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the unmanned vehicle delivery service comprises a drone delivery service. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting the service level comprises comparing the first object characteristic dataset to unmanned vehicle delivery characteristic requirements specified by the set of unmanned vehicle delivery services. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping label is for a first shipment batch. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first shipment batch comprises the first physical object and a second physical object, and wherein the first object characteristic dataset comprises object characteristics for each object of the first shipment batch. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein selecting the service level for the first shipment batch based on the first comparison comprises comparing the object characteristic requirements with the object characteristics for each object of the first shipment batch. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping label comprises an automatic delivery code encoding a destination address. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 scanning the automatic delivery code with an unmanned vehicle; 
 automatically delivering the first physical object with the unmanned vehicle based on the destination address. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the shipping carrier-specific requests to the API-associated platforms comprises transmitting the shipping carrier-specific requests at different frequencies for different shipping carriers, based on different data limit requirements for the respective API-associated platforms. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OCM comprises an OCM sensor and an OCM communication module, and wherein receiving the first object characteristic dataset from the OCM comprises:
 measuring a characteristic of the first physical object using the OCM sensor; and 
 transmitting the first object characteristic dataset, comprising the characteristic, using the OCM communication module. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising purchasing the service level. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating the label printer system with a user identifier, wherein the user identifier is associated with a user; 
 prompting, at a display connected to the label printer system, the user to collect the first object characteristic dataset with the OCM; 
 receiving the first object characteristic dataset at the label printer system; 
 at the label printer system, in response to receiving the shipping label from the shipping automation system, associating the first object characteristic dataset with the user identifier, 
 wherein the service level is further based on user preferences associated with the user identifier. 
 
     
     
       14. A method for automatically printing a shipping label for an object, the object associated with a user, comprising:
 receiving, at the label printer system, an object characteristic dataset for the object from an object characteristic measurer (OCM) associated with the user; 
 transmitting the object characteristic dataset to a shipping automation system; 
 generating, at the shipping automation system, a first comparison between the object characteristic dataset and object characteristic requirements for service levels provided by a plurality of shipping carriers; 
 purchasing, at the shipping automation system, a service level from the service levels based on the first comparison; 
 automatically generating a shipping label based on the service level; and 
 in response to automatically generating the shipping label, printing the shipping label with the label printer system. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving an additional object characteristic dataset for a plurality of additional objects from the OCM; and 
 determining a first shipment batch comprising the object and a first subset of the plurality of additional objects based on the first comparison and a second comparison between the additional object characteristic dataset and the object characteristic requirements, 
 wherein the service level and the shipping label are for the first shipment batch. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first comparison is based on combined dimensions of the object and the first subset of the plurality of additional objects. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 concurrently with the first shipment batch, determining a second shipment batch comprising a second subset of the plurality of additional objects based on the second comparison; and 
 printing a second shipping label for the second shipment batch with the label printer system, wherein the first and the second shipping labels are associated with different shipping carriers of the plurality of shipping carriers. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 associating the label printer system with a user identifier; and 
 in response to receiving the object characteristic dataset, associating the object characteristic dataset with the user identifier, 
 wherein purchasing the service level is further based on user preferences associated with the user identifier. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shipping label comprises an automatic delivery code encoding a destination address and characteristics derived from the object characteristic dataset, wherein the method further comprises:
 scanning the automatic delivery code with a unmanned vehicle; 
 automatically delivering the object with the unmanned vehicle based on the destination address and the characteristics. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shipping automation system is part of the label printer system.